Trolley cut-out.



c. c. PHILLIPS.

TROLLEY GUT-OUT.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 9, 1907.

906,279. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

FFICE.

CHARLES C. PHILLIPS, OF OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHILLIPSAUTOMATIC SIGNAL 00., OF OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY.

TBOLLEY GUT-OUT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Owensboro, in the county of Daviess and State of Kentucky,have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley Cut-Outs, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to trolley cut-outs, the object of the inventionbeing to provide a hanger for trolley wires whereby upon the breakage ofthe trolley wire at any point, the broken portion thereof which remainsattached to the hanger, will be thrown out of circuit or electricalconnection with the main current, thereby preventing any possibility ofinjury to pedestrians, animals, etc, coming in contact with such brokenwire.

With the above general object in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of theautomatic cutout of this invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailcross-section through the same, on line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1, showing the action of the device upon the breakage ofa wire.

The trolley cut-out contemplated in this invention consists of what maybe termed a hanger or bracket 1 embodying three downwardly extendinglegs 2, 3 and I, either formed separately or integrally, as may be foundexpedient. The lower ends of these legs are all located in about thesame horizontal plane and the ends of the wire or conductor shown at 5and 6 are pivotally connected therewith as shown at 7, while under thepreferred embodiment of this invention, the portions of the conductorslying just outside of the pivotal points 7 are weighted, as shown at 8,to insure the interruption of the current, as will hereinafter appear.The lower end of the intermediate leg 4 carries a trough or gutter-likeconductor section 9 having the oppositely projecting seats or rests 10,the upper sides of which are concaved in the form of gutters to receivethe inner ends of the conductors 5 and 6, as

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application filed May 9, 1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 372,67L

shown in the drawings, the said conductor ends terminating short of eachother, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The conductor section 9 iscomposed of material having the necessary electrical conductivity and ispreferably composed of soft metal such as copper and rovided at oppositesides with up ward y extending soft metal fingers 11, which are bent toembrace and lie in contact with the upper sides of the conductor ends,as indicated in Fig. 2, thus giving increased contact or bearing betweenthe conductor ends and the conductor section 9. The fingers or lugs 11are sufiiciently soft to bend outwardly under the force of the weightacting on the conductor 6, as for instance, when the latter is broken topermit the conductor to move to open position, as shown at the right ofFig. 3. The hanger is provided with one or more eyes 12 or their euivalent' by means of which the hanger may e supported on a suitablepole, cross-arm or other form of overhead support.

The conductor section 9 forms a part of the conductor under ordinaryconditions and I it will be seen that when one of the Wires is broken asshown 111 Fig. 3, the inner extremity thereof lying in contact with thecon ductor section 9 swings upward, being assisted by the weight 8, andin this way the circuit is broken and no current is transmitted throughthe broken wire.

I claim 1 1. In an automatic cut-out, the combination of a hangercomprising oppositely-extending outer arms and a centrallydependtremities of the wires by being bent over the latter, and meansfor detachably connecting the member to the lower extremity of thecentral arm.

2. In an automatic cut-out, the combination of a bracket, separateconductors pivotally mounted on the bracket, a member normallysupporting the extremities of the con- 1 In testimony whereof, I affixmy signature ductors and detaohably secured to the i in presence of twoWitnesses. bracket said members being of U-shaped: cross-sehtion, and.readily bendable lugs of E CHARLES PHILLIPS 5 soft metal arranged toengage over the con I Vitnesses:

ductors for holding the latter in contact with FRANK KATTERJOHN,

the member. RICHARD PENNELLY.

